How Do Sight Words Help Kids Learn to Read?

A child's acquisition of reading skills is an ongoing process that requires adult guidance and regular practice. Although children progress on individual paths, teaching your child to recognize sight words is a fundamental to achieve success with reading. Sight words are frequently used words that cannot always be sounded out phonetically. Recognition of sight words helps with reading comprehension and fluency.

  1. Early Language Development

    • Reading aloud to your child is the first step in developing a strong reading foundation. Preschool-age children are exposed to the basic components of letter and phonetic awareness for language development through activities such as flash cards, letter games and sound sorting. Vocabulary skills are built through participation in story times, looking at picture cards and by listening to spoken language. Once a child has acquired letter and sound recognition for the letters of the alphabet, he may begin to connect sounds and decipher entire words.

    Word Recognition

    • According to the National Reading Panel, the five necessities for a successful reading program are phonemic awareness, vocabulary, phonics, fluency and comprehension. Incorporating a consistent strategy for teaching your child sight words is important for nourishing his reading fluency and comprehension. Teach sight words alongside phonetics and phonemic awareness so your child makes a connection with words and their combined meaning. In 1948, Dr. Edward Dolch published a list of 220 words that aid in the development of reading skills, also know as sight words. Dr. Dolch's word list along with other sight word lists can be accessed through multiple online sources such as K12 Reader and Education.com.

    The English Language

    • Many words that comprise that English language cannot be sounded out phonetically, posing a challenge to the basic phonetic process that many early readers follow to read simple words. Sight words are used often and are an essential part of the English language. Personal pronouns such as "I," "us," "they"; relative pronouns like "this" and "those"; articles like "a" and "the" and prepositions such as "over," "in" and "on" are all examples of sight words that are used on a regular basis. These words help to convey the overall meaning of a sentence. According to Pearson Higher Education specialists, the ability to quickly recognize sight words helps a child to read more efficiently and assists with reading comprehension because less effort is required to decipher the meaning of words.

    Fun Ways to Learn

    • Early childhood educators Carl Teitelbaum and Rona Roth -- founders of the One More Story organization -- emphasize that by the end of kindergarten, children are expected to know at least 100 sight words. Utilize fun and engaging ways to help your child learn sight words to improve his success with reading. Incorporating word activities in your home environment can be simple and beneficial. Offer word cards that make use of images and color to capture your child's interest. Use devices such as a voice amplifier or songs and music to keep your child focused. Children's books that incorporate language patterns -- such as books by Eric Carle and Dr. Suess -- are helpful tools for teaching sight words through repetition and pictures. Create active games that make use of sight word cards. Your child will be more successful with reading if you participate in continuous practice with sight words.

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